1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an otorhinolaryngological treatment method to be used for treatment of sinusitis and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
A paranasal sinus is an intraosseous cavity adjacent to a nasal cavity, and communicates with the nasal cavity through a small hole called the natural ostium. Secretions, bacteria, and the like in the paranasal sinus are excreted into the nasal cavity through the natural ostium. When the mucous membrane in the nasal cavity or paranasal sinus is swollen due to common cold-induced rhinitis or allergic rhinitis or the like, or the inside of the nasal cavity is narrowed due to deflected nasal septum or hypertrophic rhinitis or the like, the natural ostium may become stenosed and chronic inflammation may be generated in the paranasal sinus. Such a disease is called sinusitis. Conventionally, the method for treatment of sinusitis has generally been a surgical operation in which the lesion causing stenosis of the natural ostium is removed by use of forceps and a drill or the like while confirming the video image of the inside of the nasal cavity through an endoscope. In recent years, however, a sinusitis treatment method based on the use of a balloon catheter and not including a surgical operation has been developed, and this method has been drawing attention from the viewpoint of minimal invasiveness to the patient.
In the treatment method developed recently, a guide wire and a balloon catheter are sequentially inserted into the nasal cavity, and, after it is confirmed that the balloon catheter has been disposed in the natural ostium (for example, using a radioscopic method), the balloon catheter is expanded to force open the stenosed part of the natural ostium. According to this treatment method, the communicating passage between the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinus can be recovered without significant bleeding in the nasal cavity or damage to the mucous membrane. In connection with this technique, WO2006/034008 proposes a balloon catheter in which a plurality of radiopaque markers for marking the balloon proximal end, distal end and the like are disposed on the inner surface of the balloon. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of prevention of exposure of the patient to X-rays, there is an increasing demand for a balloon catheter and method of using such which enables easy positioning of the balloon inside the nasal cavity without relying on radioscopy. All documents cited in this disclosure are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.